Author: Susan Smith Bennett

Susan lives in Florida, USA, and is the mother of three grown children, two stepchildren, and five grandchildren. She and her husband Charles attend St. Andrew's in Sanford, FL. Susan is a recent graduate of the Master's Program for Marital and Family Counseling from Stetson University. She is also a Nationally Certified Biblical Counselor through ACBC and counsels at The Jonathan Project in her community. Susan has served the Lord for more than 40 years as a Christian in various ministries and positions such as Bible Study Fellowship and Young Life. She currently serves as Women's Ministries Coordinator at St. Andrews Chapel. Her passions are the people of God and the Word of God.
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Enduring Joy From Our Immutable Father

My dear sister,

This past month I have been using my quiet time to pray through the attributes of God. (Praying the Attributes of God by Rosemary Jensen) One of my most cherished attributes of God is that He is immutable. It is not a word used much in our modern English language, but for some odd reason I really like the way it sounds when saying it. It means unchanging! Our God is unchanging! What a profound truth in a day and age where life’s pace is constantly changing. Staying up to date with the latest technology is just one example of this constant state of flux.

I want to share with you how deeper still my thoughts go when I stop to consider that my Heavenly Father, who never changes (James 1:17), has purposed me to be saved. And not just saved but sanctified as well. In fact; God’s plan for saving me was set in motion (determined) before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). The whole purpose for saving me was so that God would change me (Romans 8:29-30)! I’m not sure about you, but I need to repeat that.

God is unchanging (the same today as yesterday and for all eternity) and His whole purpose for my salvation (as is for all who trust in His Son’s perfect sacrifice) is to change me more and more into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. Sometimes that is hard to swallow. However, my point in writing to you sweet sister in Christ, is not to confuse you but to encourage you. My hope is that the beauty, indeed the completeness, of this truth is sinking in to your heart as you read this.

This truth of who God is; and what He has purposed for you and I in light of that Truth, is what brings us enduring peace and joy. Knowing that our immutable God has an unchanging plan- to save us and to sanctify us (change us- set us apart from the rest of the world) so that when we arrive in heaven with Him we will bear the image of His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior!

Your joy, like Christ’s (Hebrews 12:2) is set before you! Can your heart see it? Can you taste it? Your joy is complete and everlasting. Nothing has happened since the foundation of the world that has changed His plan to save you. Nothing has happened or will happen to undo your salvation. Nothing can happen that will change His plan to sanctify you until He brings you to glory.

Can you sense the fullness of this Truth? Is it filling up your soul as you contemplate it? Does not your heart overflow with joy in the knowledge that you belong to this Immutable God? This joy is everlasting because it comes from your everlasting Father. This joy will always remain despite your circumstances, despite your problems, trials or errors of judgement on your part. Take courage in that; Today, your joy is complete and it will remain for eternity!

My prayer for you as I close this letter, is that the joy of your salvation will shine brightly into your world, that all men may see it and Praise God’s Holy name. (Matthew 5:16)

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”
Psalm 51:12

Your sister,
Susan

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Words with a Purpose

My dear sister,

This month the topic is “the tongue”; and so as I pondered that, several instances, phrases and bible verses came to my mind. It has taken prayerful consideration for the Lord to put in order all the ideas converging in my head and my heart.

Many years ago I heard the term; “she has a tongue hinged in the middle”. I am not sure about you but that picture in my mind, with the help of my imagination made me laugh. That is until I met someone in which my imagination was not necessary! In fact, while listening to this person talk (and talk, and talk….) I found myself staring past her lips into her mouth as it open and shut (completely tuning out her words mind you) to see if I could catch a glimpse of a shiny hinge within.

What this term means is that someone can say one thing to one person’s face and then turn around and say to another person something different, and usually it’s bad about the person they just had spoken to! This was the term used in my Mother’s generation for what my generation called; being two faced.

Speaking of my Mom, she used to say to me and my siblings; “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all!” Her hope as a widowed mother of five, I am certain (because she told me later) was to have some peace and quiet in her home. Needless to say, her words of advice along with my acute observations of my older siblings who did not heed her wisdom and the resulting consequences of their actions, had a very strong impact upon my personality. I am a fairly quiet person!

Somewhere in between these two pieces of advice must be a balance right? Amy Carmichael once wrote that before she spoke she would ask herself three little questions: “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” this gave me some comfort! Speaking (communicating) is a good thing, a God given thing. But it does come with some responsibility and that means it is to be thoughtful! These three questions help me stay within the lines of God’s character, and His will for me as given in His word.

Is it true? One of God’s commandments given to the Israelites was : “thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor” (Exodus 20:16) Did you know that our tongues and the words we speak come directly from our hearts? (Matthew 15:17-20) when you and I engage in conversation it is very revealing as to what rules our hearts! While speaking with others do we lack in the truth factor? Do we impute motives where we are not sure because we have not bothered to check the facts or maybe the story or information sounds better if said this way versus the truth? Paul exhorts all Christians to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).

Which brings me to the second question; Is it kind? Is love the motivation for what is being said? Not the world’s definition of love but God’s definition of love. I Corinthians 13:4-8 ; “patient and kind, does not envy, does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things”. When measured by God’s standard of love I find myself falling short most of the time. However, for those rare times when what I am about to say passes the litmus test of the first two questions, it is that third question that compels me to be silent.

Is it necessary? Once again I am challenged within my heart to examine my desires. What motivates my speech (conversation)? Is it necessary according to my own selfish desires? “I must be heard on the matter”, “I am right they are wrong and the matter must be rectified” Is every single detail important? Psalm 52:4 stops me in my tracks often; “you love all devouring words you deceitful tongue!”. Our words do have a purpose, they are to build each other up not to tear each other down!

May I encourage you dear friend? Take some time out of your day today (do not put it off til another day) to do a personal study in God’s word on the tongue. Here are some helpful places to start:

Psalm 5:9; 10:7; 12:4; 139:4 Proverbs 10:20; 10:31; 15:4; 18:21; 21:23

These are just a tiny fraction of what our faithful Father in heaven has to say about our tongues. I will warn you, be prepared to change the way you speak to others (especially those you love)! I know my habits have changed drastically over the last twenty years.

Blessings from your sister,
Susan

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Muddles and Puddles

My dearest sister,

I am well aware of your love for Christ and for your desire to serve Him wholeheartedly. The love for His saints and the passion for His word are abundant and overflowing from your heart. I am writing to encourage you in your waiting upon the Lord as you seek to know His will in the matter of your service to Him.

Our Father in heaven has given us a glimpse of His heart when He has said in His word that “the testing of your (our) faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work (full effect), that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:3)

So often sister you and I have spoken of how we longed for that patient spirit that waits with the comfort of our hope which is in Christ. We have spoken of how easy it seems for us to hope in Christ for our eternity yet to lose sight of that hope in the muddles and puddles of our daily life. We become impatient. God sees and knows our hearts (way better than we do) and He longs to change them; testing the genuineness of our faith is one of those ways. He promises us there will be growth and the fruit will be patience. The exciting thing is that it is like multiplication! When patience is born within our hearts it begins it’s perfect work (maturity) and multiplies bringing forth completeness. This completeness or as the ESV calls it “lacking in nothing” suggests to me that our hearts become full. Much like our stomachs do when we have eaten a seven course meal. We become full to the point of declaring “I couldn’t eat one more bite!”

Something I know is that God’s purpose for redeeming those who are His is to change (transform) them into the image of His Son, our precious Savior. (Romans 8:29)) That Truth coupled with knowing that God is patient (Jeremiah 15:15, Romans 15:5) His Son is patient (II Thessalonians 3:5) and His Spirit is patient, leads me to believe that even if I cannot muster patience from my soul, I can call out to Him who is the giver of all good gifts( James 1:17) and humbly beseech Him to grant me a portion of His patience. Our King is a good King who longs to hear His children and to give them their heart’s desire when that desire is in accordance with His will. Serving the Most High King is His will (being a compassionate helper, a keeper of the home, raising godly children, teaching younger women to love their husbands……and more) as you move to be a doer of His word in those muddles and puddles of your life, He will prepare you (grow you, complete you) to serve Him in the fashion that He deems best.

So, I will close my letter to you my dear sister with this: I am praying for your heart to desire what God desires, to be a doer of His Holy Word which will prepare you for whatever and whenever He calls you out in service to Him even if it stops at the muddles and puddles of life, and that He will find you faithful (full and complete) because your patience has had its perfect work.

Much Love and Admiration,
Susan

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A Heavenly Treasure Chest

My dearest sister,

Someone that I love very much passed away recently. It has been challenging for me and other family members to mourn our loss. Our loved one lost the war that was declared on her her by cancer after four and a half years. She fought valiantly but to no avail, other than the four years of life had she not entered into several battles against it with varying types of strategies and armament ( treatment plans and chemotherapy). Our loved one left this world as she came. In other words, as the world declares, she left with nothing! The beautiful clothes she wore, the lovely artifacts she acquired from around this world, the jewels given to her by others, her home and all of it’s contents could not go with her. Wow, it is quite a picture isn’t it?

Our heavenly Father tells us that although when we leave this world,we leave behind all earthly or tangible material, including our bodies we do not actually leave empty handed. If we are His children then we leave this world with a treasure chest of eternal valuables! Our hearts/souls live on after our bodies die. With that Truth in mind listen to this exciting word from our Lord Jesus:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be.” Matthew 6:19-21

Jesus compassionately warns us to invest in a treasure that is not of this world, but instead of he and his Father’s world. He warns us as well that earthly treasure (as lovely, costly and even as fond as they are to us) will not last. So not only can we not take our earthly treasures with us when we die but when left behind they eventually deteriorate, are destroyed and possibly stolen.

Jesus exhorts us to store up that which is treasure in our Father’s eyes!!!! Our greatest heart’s treasure is our LORD himself. If He abides in our hearts He will fill our hearts with treasures that will go with us when we leave this world. (Ephesians 1: 3-14 ~ please take the time to read!) Our hearts become a treasure chest filled with valuables that will live for eternity: love, peace, patience, kindness, wisdom, prudence….

These treasures within our hearts/souls cannot be stolen from us, they cannot be destroyed. They will be what we take to heaven with us. They will be the crowns which are given back to the One who gave them to us in the first place. Hallelujah!!

As I have pondered prosperity this month, this is the picture that comes to mind. Sweet sister, this is what I long for. That my heart would be filled with heavenly treasure given to me by the hand of God through His Spirit fashioned specifically for me by His Son the Lord Jesus that when I leave all of this world behind, and my soul flys away into My Father’s arms, my treasure chest will be full of incomparable glorious valuables to be cast at the throne of my Savior!!!! Oh how I long to prosper in this manner!

Your Sister,

Susan

“For what does it prosper a man, if he loses his own soul?”. Matthew 16:26

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Rejoicing in the Fear of the Lord

Dearest Sister,

Did you know that fear is the number one reason women seek counsel? Sometimes the fear is creatively disguised and sometimes it has become a cherished object of affection. Either way, eventually there is a collapse of sorts that takes place when this burden is carried for too long. The crumbling, crippling effects are far reaching, and our running or fighting inevitably become ineffectual at some point.

God has promised us sister that we are His new creations! He has promised to complete the work He began in us when our hearts were first regenerated by His Holy Spirit! He has given us the power to put off our fears (as deeply rooted as some of them are) and to put on the One fear that will deliver us from this burden, which is to Fear Him.

Consider these words from our heavenly Father:

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” (Psalms 111:10 ESV)

“In the fear of the LORD there is a strong confidence and His children will have a place of refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26)

“And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.” (Isaiah 33:6 KJV)

“The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.” (Proverbs 19:23 ESV)

The thing about sinful (unhealthy) fear is, it is based on our looking inwardly. That is why the antidote (the put on) is to focus outwardly and upward. Just like most things that are lasting and valuable it takes repetition for us to “get it”! That is why Paul exhorts the Philippians (4:4) to “rejoice…always…and again I say rejoice”. This upward outward focus sets our hearts aright.

But we are not done sister; then we are to let go! Paul puts it this way;”Let your gentleness (graciousness,reasonableness) be made known to all men”. Not just sometimes, or selectively, but all the time in front of everyone. We cannot be gracious to others if we are holding on to our fears. The first takes an open hand if you will, and the second is a clenched fist.

If that doesn’t stop us in our fearful tracks Paul’s next statement will;”The Lord is at hand”. Wow, imagine living our lives as if the Lord Jesus was about to return at any moment. Would you or I want our eyes and heart to be fixed inwardly upon our fear or would we want to be looking up with exuberant anticipation to see His return? (Philippians 4:5)

Lastly, Paul says be thankful! Fear has a way of robbing our joyful gratitude, it has a way of becoming a stumbling block to us. Paul insists that if we approach all things with a thankful heart that the “peace of God will guard our hearts”. What a lovely picture sister: God our Father setting up post in our hearts to protect us from ourselves, the world and the enemy. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Fearing the Lord (our “putting on”) entails all of these imperatives: rejoicing in the Lord, Trusting the Lord, anticipating the Lord’s return, thanksgiving, Prayer and supplication which is intentional relating with the Lord. This is how we put off and put on sister. This is how we are progressively sanctified. This is how we are able to rejoice in the fear of the Lord.

Your Sister,
Susan